Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government is facing additional expenditure as officials across departments reportedly use more than one government car or jeep for office and personal needs.
Officials’ fleets across 41 state departments include more than 15,000 cars and jeeps. Different categories of vehicles have been allotted for various levels, ranging from Mahindra Bolero vehicles for office use to Mahindra XUV300 cars for lower-level officials, and premium models such as Toyota Innova Crysta and Honda City for senior officials.
The state has permitted monthly fuel usage of 165 litres for petrol vehicles and 125 litres for diesel cars and jeeps. Fuel expenses alone are said to cost the government around Rs 25 crore every month.
However, the report alleges that in several departments, multiple vehicles are attached to individual officers. In the Water Resources Department, for instance, multiple cars are reportedly assigned to the secretary’s office and residence, as well as to chief engineers in different regions, with similar patterns said to exist in other departments too.
The report also flags allegations of misuse, including government vehicles being used for personal purposes and claims of fake bills being raised even when fuel consumption is below the permitted limit. It argues that retrieving surplus vehicles and enforcing tighter controls is necessary to reduce avoidable administrative spending.
